Jet Li or UFC Heavyweight

Jet Li

UFC Heavyweight

My friend and I were arguing about this match-up, just wondering what you guys think. My friend said Jet Li would win because he is too fast and the UFC fighter wouldn't be able to hit him. I said the UFC Heavyweight because of the weight, power, and reach.

I believe he could quickly kill off a heavyweight. The heavyweight would crush him if he could get his hands on him but he is too fast. Jet Li may not cause him "pain" but could definately hit all the pressure points he needs to and reguardless of whether or not the heavyweight feels pain, he would die depending on what pressure points he hit.

That's an interesting arguement. Do you think the UFC fighter would really just stand around and allow him to hit the pressure points? Are you implying that if Jet Li were to hit one of the pressure points the UFC fighter would die just like that? Sounds a bit far-fetched.

Not one pressure point, a few, and do you think that a UFC heavyweight fighter is faster than Jet Li? It also may depend on where they are, I think in a smaller area like a ring, the heavyweight will definately have an advantage, but an open area it would be in Jet Li's favor.

In reguards the pressure point comment, I'm not sure if Jet Li knows this type of technqiue but its called Dim Mak. If you hit in the right places with very good timing, you can cause severe and deadly damage to the cardio system and nervous system. Granted you'll need to hit with more than 1, but unless you know this technique that's only taught to the most trusted pupils of martial arts teachers, how much do you know about it?

Not one pressure point, a few, and do you think that a UFC heavyweight fighter is faster than Jet Li? It also may depend on where they are, I think in a smaller area like a ring, the heavyweight will definately have an advantage, but an open area it would be in Jet Li's favor.

In reguards the pressure point comment, I'm not sure if Jet Li knows this type of technqiue but its called Dim Mak. If you hit in the right places with very good timing, you can cause severe and deadly damage to the cardio system and nervous system. Granted you'll need to hit with more than 1, but unless you know this technique that's only taught to the most trusted pupils of martial arts teachers, how much do you know about it?

That's just my opinion, not ready to turn this into a debate.

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I don't know much about Dim Mak, but I understand how it would effect the cardio system, so I see what you're getting at. I think the only way to find out who would win would be for them to actually fight. It would be very interesting if it happened, but I know they'll never fight.

Wasn't Jet Li the world champion in Wu Shu for several years? I mean, he's not just an actor with a bunch of moves ... like David Carradine (a trained dancer), for instance. And didn't Muhammad Ali once fight a Japanese wrestler? It was ruled a draw. The styles were just too different. The wrestler pretty much just sat on the mat the whole time. I suspect Jet Li against a UFC heavyweight would have similar results. Ali also "fought" Rocky Marciano on film in a primitive, computer-generated boxing match. Marciano won. A year later, he died.

Jet Li would get killed.....not just by the heavyweights but also by the top middle weight/welter-weight UFC Fighters (ie. Diego Sanchez,Matt Hughes Franklin, etc) as well.

In a UFC match...or even in a real world hand to hand combat situation,
Ground skills are essential to survival. Jet Li is NOT an accomplished ground fighter so he would loose. This is not the movies. True, as someone pointed out above that he was a champion in "Wu Shu". However, until someone using the "Wu Shu" fighting style emerges victorious in the UFC, I will remained convinced that Mixed Martial Arts, as practiced by today's UFC champions, are what really works in the real world.

I think the best Jet Li could do is this.. IF he really trained to be a mixed martial arts fighter and IF he fought IN HIS WEIGHT Class, he would do well.

By the way, great topic for discussion here. Looking forward to some replies.

In the early days of UFC when they had all karate/kung fu and other discplines actually represented, the match was over as soon as the wrestler/grappler got a hold of the martial arts guy which always happened.

It's incredible that in the modern age, people are still ignorant enough about martial arts to ask the question: Who would win in a fight, an actor, or a professional fighter.

troytennisbum said:

Jet Li would get killed.....not just by the heavyweights but also by the top middle weight/welter-weight UFC Fighters (ie. Diego Sanchez,Matt Hughes Franklin, etc) as well.

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Agreed.

troytennisbum said:

In a UFC match...or even in a real world hand to hand combat situation,
Ground skills are essential to survival. Jet Li is NOT an accomplished ground fighter so he would loose. This is not the movies.

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True. It would be worse for Jet Li in a real fight, since the UFC has anti-ground rules to make it more spectator friendly.

troytennisbum said:

True, as someone pointed out above that he was a champion in "Wu Shu". However, until someone using the "Wu Shu" fighting style emerges victorious in the UFC, I will remained convinced that Mixed Martial Arts, as practiced by today's UFC champions, are what really works in the real world.

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Being world champion in "Wu Shu" is about as relevant as being world champion in papier mache in a fight. Highly relevant to an acting career pretending to fight.

troytennisbum said:

I think the best Jet Li could do is this.. IF he really trained to be a mixed martial arts fighter and IF he fought IN HIS WEIGHT Class, he would do well.

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Sure. He's clearly an athlete. If he trained for 5-10 years in actual fighting, then he might be able to compete. If we ignore the fact that he's already 42 years old. As it is, he would have his a ss handed to him by any of a vast array of complete amature fighters.

Anyway, why would he go through all the rigours of *real* fight training to fight in the UFC for chump change, when one movie will make him more money than any UFC fighter will make in their entire career?

troytennisbum said:

By the way, great topic for discussion here. Looking forward to some replies.

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Sad that people still ask this kind of question.

You might as well ask:

Who would win at tennis? Rodger Federer or Paul Bettany, the guy who played Peter Colt in the movie "Wimbledon".

I remember when I was a kid my friends would argue who would win a real fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. That actually seems like more of a debate than jet Li against a UFC fighter.

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LOL, this was really a debate?

Jet Li can move better and is faster than most prof fighters. Except Jet Li has almost no real life fighting experience which is a HUGE factor in being able to defeat your opponent.

Lets talk about who has the more aesthetical fighting style? Jet Li....and to me, a martial arts fan...that pleases me more...the beauty of fighting, not the stupid lying on the ground for 30 minutes humping session where I fall asleep due to lack of activity. (though its more effective in real life of course).

yes it was. I assume you think that Chuck Norris was just another actor who couldn't actually fight. He was a six-time undefeated World Professional MiddleWeight Karate Champion before he got into action films. He actually never lost a professional karate match from 1968 to 1974. Bruce Lee otoh was an actor who was never tested in real tournaments but beat several "masters" in challenge matches in Hong Kong.

yes it was. I assume you think that Chuck Norris was just another actor who couldn't actually fight. He was a six-time undefeated World Professional MiddleWeight Karate Champion before he got into action films. He actually never lost a professional karate match from 1968 to 1974. Bruce Lee otoh was an actor who was never tested in real tournaments but beat several "masters" in challenge matches in Hong Kong.

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ahhhh, yes indeed. I did assume Chuck Norris was just the actor. Even though I had read somewhere on his professional karate career. I think it was all those episodes of "Walker, Texas Ranger" that did it for me. I saw an average white male with no great athletic ability whatsoever. Though I know he is getting old now.

The fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in the coliseum in "Way of the Dragon" is considered to be one best fights ever captured on film by people who actually practice martial arts. Most modern martial art films have style over substance.

By the time Chuck Norris was doing Texas Ranger he was already in his 50's. So I would not judge him by that.

you know what's funny? there is this exact convo going on in another forum that i go to, Ultimate Fighting vs. Martial Arts. Martial Arts is winning the debate imo........ i'll post more on this when i wake up, its late, its 12am xD g'night all

you know what's funny? there is this exact convo going on in another forum that i go to, Ultimate Fighting vs. Martial Arts. Martial Arts is winning the debate imo........ i'll post more on this when i wake up, its late, its 12am xD g'night all

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There is no debate. It was proved on national TV in the early UFCs, and the proof is replayed over and over again round the world where high level dans in traditional martial arts turn up to grappling schools to broaden their horizons, and proceed to have their a ss handed to them by all the white belts.

Jet Li has been learning matial arts since he could walk. He won numerous martial arts tournaments and competitions all over China. He is not just an actor, what he does is REAL stuff. I heard someone that Jackie Chan is more of a stunt person than a real martial artist. Jet Li is a real martial artist.

Though martial artist Jet Li may be, I think it's similar to having two dogs fight - one bigger, and one smaller. The bigger one, being, of course, the UFC fighter. Regardless of how quick Jet Li is, I don't think in a ring, he would stand much a chance. Also, the big point has already been brought up that Jet Li is more of an actor, though he was trained in martial arts, while the UFC fighters are actual fighters.

Jet Li has been learning matial arts since he could walk. He won numerous martial arts tournaments and competitions all over China. He is not just an actor, what he does is REAL stuff. I heard someone that Jackie Chan is more of a stunt person than a real martial artist. Jet Li is a real martial artist.

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He may be a real martial artist. That doesn't mean he can fight. The type of martial arts he studied iin China has essentially zero applicability to real fighting. He has never trained in some of the skills that are essential to be able to last into the first minute of a real fight against a high level fighter.

See wikipedia:

Under Jet Li:

"While Li had been highly successful in non-combat Wu Shu tournaments, he has never expressed a personal interest in competing in any sport fighting or competitive martial arts such as kickboxing or MMA."

Under Wushu:

"Wushu, modern wushu, and contemporary wushu often refer to the modern recompilations of traditional wushu forms created in the People's Republic of China. These are practised as a demonstration sport, much like gymnastics, and judged and given points according to specific rules."

Wushu is not fighting. It's dancing. There is a good reason Jet Li has "never expressed a personal interest in competing in any sport fighting or competitive martial arts". He is not skilled in those things. It is wrong to assume that he is because he can wave his hands about quickly.

Though martial artist Jet Li may be, I think it's similar to having two dogs fight - one bigger, and one smaller. The bigger one, being, of course, the UFC fighter. Regardless of how quick Jet Li is, I don't think in a ring, he would stand much a chance. Also, the big point has already been brought up that Jet Li is more of an actor, though he was trained in martial arts, while the UFC fighters are actual fighters.

Jet Li can move better and is faster than most prof fighters. Except Jet Li has almost no real life fighting experience which is a HUGE factor in being able to defeat your opponent.

Lets talk about who has the more aesthetical fighting style? Jet Li....and to me, a martial arts fan...that pleases me more...the beauty of fighting, not the stupid lying on the ground for 30 minutes humping session where I fall asleep due to lack of activity. (though its more effective in real life of course).

Whatever, Jet Li is the man.

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True,
Nobody wants to see a 30 minute humping session with two fighters lying on the ground not doing anything. However, watching an "aesthetical, beautiful" fight between two guys throwing a bunch of worthless/harmless kicks and punches at each other for an hour puts me to sleep just as quickly.

Although there are some boring fights in the UFC, there are plenty of amazing fights as well....and the athleticism/fighting ablility of the top guys in ALL the weight classes in the UFC today is simply amazing. They are truly the greatest hand to hand fighters in the world today.

As a side note....someone replied to my preivous post that Jet Li is like over 40 yrs of age?....because if that is true, then Jet Li would get killed by the top guys in ANY weight class in the UFC no matter how hard he trained for it (although he might make for an interesting fight with some of the lower ability fighters in the UFC).
And that quickness and great movement he shows in his movies...we'll he wouldn't look so quick or so great in a real fight with guys like Matt Hughes, Franklin or Diego Sanchez.

Hughes is the man for now but I really think he will have his hands full with Joe Riggs on Sat night. Riggs has some heavy heavy hands, I see the potential for hughes to be knocked out. I think Rich Franklin will have little trouble with Nate Quarry but it should be an entertaining fight.

As for the original question of Jet Li vs a UFC heavyweight, forget about it. Arlovski would knock him out faster than Paul Buentello.

yes it was. I assume you think that Chuck Norris was just another actor who couldn't actually fight. He was a six-time undefeated World Professional MiddleWeight Karate Champion before he got into action films. He actually never lost a professional karate match from 1968 to 1974. Bruce Lee otoh was an actor who was never tested in real tournaments but beat several "masters" in challenge matches in Hong Kong.

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Norris trained with Lee a lot as did a lot of Karate champions. The fact that a 6 time Karate Champion and 8th degree tae kwon do black belt would train with Lee says something about Bruce's ability.

Hughes is the man for now but I really think he will have his hands full with Joe Riggs on Sat night. Riggs has some heavy heavy hands, I see the potential for hughes to be knocked out. I think Rich Franklin will have little trouble with Nate Quarry but it should be an entertaining fight.

As for the original question of Jet Li vs a UFC heavyweight, forget about it. Arlovski would knock him out faster than Paul Buentello.

Anyone else ordering the pay per view this weekend?

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Man, how can you guys watch that stuff? Its way too violent for me. I don't see them as athletes. I see them as stupid animals (lacking proper education) who couldn't understand anything after 10 years because of brain damage. I see them as guys who could easily kick my ass (as long as I didn't have a gun) but in the end I feel sorry for them in the ring. Looks more like Gladiators slugging it out to win respect from the crowd than a controlled athletic sport.

But its funny, I enjoyed all the fighting "movies" back in the day (Bloodsport). Probably because I knew it was a movie.

If you honestly think Let Li would stand a chance against a UFC fighter then you are a moron. Excuse the lack of PCness, but it's true. You need to look into what wu-shu is, and increase your understanding that movies aren't real.